You can find more information regarding this film on its IMDb page.


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Karl Brown
Producer: William T. Lackey
Production Company: Monogram Pictures
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords: drama; romance

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Spuzz - - January 8, 2006
Subject: Gives trapeze artists a bad name!
‘Under The Big Top’ falls under the very, very small subgenre of movies that are not only about circuses, but about acrobats! Let’s see, there’s Trapeze, The Greatest Show On Earth, and now this movie! This is all about a girl named Penny, who literally grows up in the circus and becomes the BEST Trapeze artist in the WORLD! Actually, when we see the act, it’s nothing special, but if the movie says they are, then they must be! Anyways, she is brought up by her aunt, a stage mother if there ever was one, who dictates everything about Penny’s life. When she finds out Penny’s fooling around with one of the other two male trapeze artists in the act, she is not at all happy, and hey, guess what? Neither is the other male trapeze artist, who had the hots for Penny herself! So there is some great sexual tension going on there, which is fun in a wild environment such as this. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t explore that any further, instead going towards the clichéd ‘Will Penny make it in time to rescue her sick Aunt?’ routine. But not before finding out the spurned trapeze artist developed an alcohol problem! So so much you could have done with this wild story, but it literally, and I’m sorry for this awful pun, falls on it’s face.

Reviewer: kareneliot - - January 5, 2006
Subject: Enjoyable.
A little on the predictable side, but overall very enjoyable.

Reviewer: Travisab1 - - June 6, 2005
Subject: Under The Big Top
Well... Ma Kettle starred as the nasty Aunty. Now I understand why Pa Kettle sort of stayed on the back burners in the Ma & Pa Kettle shows. WOW, she’s a pain in the androids. I was one of those kids that wanted to run away from home and join the Circus… SHEESH, I’d’ove probably wound up in a Circus with this Aunty in charge. I would have killed myself and haunted this Bit, Bit, Bit, Woman ‘til the day she died. Sheesh, how can a person of authority be soooooo stupid and still remember to take the next breath??? The Lions should’ve had her for breakfast when they had the chance but nooooo, even the Lions were afraid she’d eat them first.

OK, OK… I did enjoy the show. I grant this show with the 5 stars it deserves. I still think Aunty needs a good butt kickin’ though.

Travis

Reviewer: harryharry - - May 27, 2005
Subject: Interesting
Nerve-racking drama on the trapeze 100 ft. above the sawdust... and only a split second to make a certitude that meant fatality!

Packed with great performances by Marjorie Main and George Cleveland, this film is very plain and simple but makes 60 minutes of viewing worthwhile. Charlene Wyatt, as a child artist does simply great.

And the storyline in short:

The stringent proprietor of a local circus, brings up her small orphan niece who turns out to be a gorgeous trapeze young performer as the time passes. She has been skilled by two brothers who are also her trapeze buddies and she is in love with the younger one. The elder brother also has alike thoughts for her but make a decision to give up his attention.

The proprietor throws the younger boy out of the circus when she witnesses him kissing her niece. The elder brother departs also and niece chooses to leave her aunt too.

The departure of her niece causes the proprietor heart attack and she is not willing to take any medicament. The departed trio obtains a cable that says they have got an employment in London and at the same moment the niece discovers from the newspaper that her aunt’s circus has nose-dived.

The niece returns to her aunt and decides not to go to London and continue with the blind-fold trapeze act. Her lover decides the same. The elder brother who has fallen to drinking doesn’t want to be included in the feat that is to take place the same evening. He worries catastrophe. He would not be able to have control on his mind and body and that may cost the girls’ death .The girl, however, requests him and he can’t say ‘no’. But before the blind-fold feat could instigate where the girl’s face is going to be cloaked, the elder brother, indecisive of his poise chooses to let him self fall from the height of 100 feet.

The aunt approves of her niece’s love. The film ends with a happy ending as we come to know that the elder brother would survive.

Credits

Cast
Anne Nagel .... Penny
Jack La Rue .... Ricardo
Marjorie Main .... Sara
Grant Richards .... Pablo
George Cleveland .... Joe
Herbert Rawlinson .... Herman
Rolfe Sedan .... Pierre
Betty Compson .... Marie
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones .... Juba (as Snowflake)
Harry Harvey .... McCarthy
Charlene Wyatt .... Penny - as a child
Speed Hansen .... Marty